Bumper to Bumper Traffic

Im sure by reading the title you can guess what I have been up to the past 12 hours. We embarked on our Christmas trip to GA today, at 1 pm. Well, if things had gone as planned, we would have left at 11 am and gotten to Greenville at like 4 or 5. But as usual, they didnt. Oh well.

We arrived to the wet, rainy, and very trafficky Greenville at 8ish. Thankfully, we just get to chill in the hotel until tomorrow when we make the rest of our trip to GA.

Usually we get up at 4 in the morning and travel to GA all in one day. But this year, because we have Charlene (our foreign exchange student) we decided to split it up, due to all of our sanity. But for some reason, the DOT decided to re-route all traffic around Charlotte and we ended up in bumper to bumper traffic, off and on, for a good 5ish hours. Fun stuff, right? Not.

But as we were slowly creeping our way along I-85, I realized how much time car rides give one time to think... I mean seriously. You have to sit in one spot for hours upon end. And although I have my Ipod on shuffle, with the occasional skip of songs that I forgot were on my Ipod, you start day dreaming and wondering off into space until someone or something snaps you back into reality.

I hope I am not the only one who experiences these events when in a car.

So if you ever are stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, in the rain, with music you forgot was on your Ipod... never fear, day dreaming is always there.

Approaching the Birth

So we all know it's December. But honestly, it doesn't feel that way to me. haha! It just now started to get cold. So my body is thinking it's November. I mean seriously, 70 degree weather and December just don't mix. But I guess in NC they do.

At church, my pastor and youth pastor have been very good at reminding all of us what Christmas is really about. Not the gifts and such, but the birth of our Saviour and what He ultimately came to do. One of my favorite Christmas songs is "Mary, Did You Know." There is one particular verse that gets me thinking everytime I hear it.

"This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you."

Imagine what Mary was thinking. She was probably my age, about 16 years old. I know if I had been approached with this situation, I would be confused and maybe even scared. But she was going to give birth to a baby boy who would give her new life. I marvel at how amazing God is, and how every little detail of His Son's birth was planned.

So this Christmas season, focus on the fact that the baby in the manger would be hung on a tree to give us the ultimate gift... eternal life.

Your Great Name

A few weeks ago during a church service, Jeremy and his wife sang a song that I couldn't get out of my head for the rest of the day. I later googled the lyrics and found it.
Your Great Name By: Natalie Grant
I listened to it over and over again for days. I couldn't get enough of it's powerful message. I thought I'd share the lyrics with you...

"Lost are saved, find their way

At the sound of Your great name.

All condemned feel no shame

At the sound of Your great name.

Every fear has no place

At the sound of Your great name.

The enemy, he has to leave

At the sound of Your great name.

(Chorus)

Jesus, worthy is the Lamb

that was slain for us

Son of God and man

You are high and lifted up

And all the world will praise

Your great name.

All the weak find their strength

At the sound of Your great name

Hungry souls receive grace

At the sound of Your great name

The fatherless find their place

At the sound of Your great name

The sick are healed, the dead are raised

At the sound of Your great name

(Bridge)

Redeemer, My Healer, Lord Almighty

Sustainer, Defender, You are my king.

Amazing portrayal of the deity and power of God.

"that at the name of Jesus, every knee shall bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth. And every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:10-11

Thoughts.

It's been way to long since I last blogged. Oops. I'll try to get better.

I've had some things on my mind lately that I thought I would share. About 3 weeks ago, I de-activated my Facebook. Yes, you read correctly. Hannah de-activated her facebook. Was this an easy decision? Oh not at all. However, it was sudden. Very Sudden. But I have an explanation.

Ever since I got a Facebook, I have been on it almost every day. I loved the fact I could see what other people were doing, and that I could keep up with those that lived in other states and even countries. It took me 3-ish years to figure out that what I was really doing was majorly comparing myself to other people and their lives. It was causing me to get jealous, frustrated, and sometimes even angry for no apparent reason. It's like it fed a never-ceasing fire that was consuming all of me. It was causing useless drama to be blown out of porportion and so much more. As cheesy as it sounds, I felt the Holy Spirit seriously telling me to get a hold of myself.

I was walking down some very very unstable roads, and straying away from God in the process. I was too worried about what was going on in a friends life, and seeing if mine was better or if mine was worse. I was not being thankful for what God had provided me in my life already and I wasn't recognizing the fact that He had His hand extended to pull me out of this consuming fire.

The best way I saw to grab hold of Him, was to de-activate my facebook. Yes, it hasn't been easy. I have lost contact with quite a bit of people. But I have had TONS of time to spend with my Lord and to realize what is really important in life. I am incredibly blessed in my life. And drama is just plain pointless.

I made a 180 on this road called life, and I am slowly making my way back to my Saviour one step at a time.